For Petra fans—when did Petra lose you? (And did they get you back?)

Being a fan since the beginning s/t album and Come and Join Us, I saw them in concert on their More Power To Ya tour and that solidified me as a teenage fanboy. 
They lost me at Unseen Power(though I like it now much more than back then). They got me back with Jekyll and Hyde…I just wished they would’ve had some guitar solo’s.
I was just moving in a heavier metal direction back then…but now, all these years later, I appreciate the later albums like Wake up Call and No doubt…etc.

I was really into the Volz years, and although Beat The System took some getting used to, I learned to love it.

When Volz left, I bought Back To The Street and just didn't like it at all. I could never get into the Schlitt stuff, although I recognize he's a good vocalist. To me it felt like Coca-Cola vs. New Formula Coke.

But this thread has made me want to try the Schlitt albums again, so who knows? I may end up loving them.

Louder wrote:I was really into the Volz years, and although Beat The System took some getting used to, I learned to love it.

When Volz left, I bought Back To The Street and just didn't like it at all. I could never get into the Schlitt stuff, although I recognize he's a good vocalist. To me it felt like Coca-Cola vs. New Formula Coke.

But this thread has made me want to try the Schlitt albums again, so who knows? I may end up loving them.

I thought you were going to say that Volz is Coca-cola and Schillit Pepsi.
Then I would say that you are being too harsh on Schillit.

Seriously now,. They both are incredible talented and at times I struggle to find who I like better or who is the best.
They have their own characteristics and basically sing their own songs, so it is quite hard to compare them.

As I met John's voice first, it took me a while to get used to Greg's voice.

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:Probably lost me around "No Doubt" and got me with "Jekyll and Hyde". Around the time they lost me, I think Christian rock/metal started losing me as a whole. I think part of it had to do with the Christian stores, more than the industry. Before that I could walk into a book store and listen to tons of stuff. When the mid nineties rolled around, it seemed like they were getting more into pushing pop and I didn't discover a lot of cool bands that had released stuff until the early 2000s online.

Never thought about that. But it's true. In it's peak christian stores usually had something in stock that would capture my attention, and if they didn't, it wouldn't be too long before they did. Then it dropped off and what was left was a whole lot of boring looking contemporary album covers, pop and praise and worship albums.

I know a lot of old metal heads didn't like grunge, but I got into it, and at the time it just seemed like there were mainly alternative grungey bands in the Christian market that were missing an edge. At that time I started listening to the radio and getting into secular music more. I wish I had known that Bride, Holy Solider and other bands that some heavy grungey albums at the time, but it seemed like the stores stopped pushing it.

deathisgain wrote:

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:Probably lost me around "No Doubt" and got me with "Jekyll and Hyde". Around the time they lost me, I think Christian rock/metal started losing me as a whole. I think part of it had to do with the Christian stores, more than the industry. Before that I could walk into a book store and listen to tons of stuff. When the mid nineties rolled around, it seemed like they were getting more into pushing pop and I didn't discover a lot of cool bands that had released stuff until the early 2000s online.

Never thought about that. But it's true. In it's peak christian stores usually had something in stock that would capture my attention, and if they didn't, it wouldn't be too long before they did. Then it dropped off and what was left was a whole lot of boring looking contemporary album covers, pop and praise and worship albums.

I know a lot of old metal heads didn't like grunge, but I got into it, and at the time it just seemed like there were mainly alternative grungey bands in the Christian market that were missing an edge. At that time I started listening to the radio and getting into secular music more. I wish I had known that Bride, Holy Solider and other bands that some heavy grungey albums at the time, but it seemed like the stores stopped pushing it.

The christian "grunge" stuff, or that I have heard anyway, was too clean sounding, too polished. Didn't have the dark psychedelic grim that the secular bands had. It was almost straight  clean pop music. Nothing that was Christian grunge came close to songs like Blackhole son or the pumpkins at their best, or Alice in chains, Nirvana or Stone Temple pilots when they were at their peak (unless you include King's X as a christian band). Their were christian metal bands and albums that held their own with the secular stuff, but not grunge in my opinion. And Holy Soldier had a great sound they should've stuck it out or deviate from it in slight that at least they kept their core sound to fit the times. And Rick Florian suddenly showing up in Flannel shirts was a terrible idea. That video of him trying to act all dark and brooding and grungy to that squeaky clean pop rock song is quite vomit inducing.

I think Bride could've done it well but I lost touch with them.

Just remembered, Lament by Rez would be the best example of shifting with the times without completely changing their core sound. I'd say that would stand as a great album during the grunge movement. They did it right.

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:Probably lost me around "No Doubt" and got me with "Jekyll and Hyde". Around the time they lost me, I think Christian rock/metal started losing me as a whole. I think part of it had to do with the Christian stores, more than the industry. Before that I could walk into a book store and listen to tons of stuff. When the mid nineties rolled around, it seemed like they were getting more into pushing pop and I didn't discover a lot of cool bands that had released stuff until the early 2000s online.

Never thought about that. But it's true. In it's peak christian stores usually had something in stock that would capture my attention, and if they didn't, it wouldn't be too long before they did. Then it dropped off and what was left was a whole lot of boring looking contemporary album covers, pop and praise and worship albums.

I know a lot of old metal heads didn't like grunge, but I got into it, and at the time it just seemed like there were mainly alternative grungey bands in the Christian market that were missing an edge. At that time I started listening to the radio and getting into secular music more. I wish I had known that Bride, Holy Solider and other bands that some heavy grungey albums at the time, but it seemed like the stores stopped pushing it.

The christian "grunge" stuff, or that I have heard anyway, was too clean sounding, too polished. Didn't have the dark psychedelic grim that the secular bands had. It was almost straight  clean pop music. Nothing that was Christian grunge came close to songs like Blackhole son or the pumpkins at their best, or Alice in chains, Nirvana or Stone Temple pilots when they were at their peak (unless you include King's X as a christian band). Their were christian metal bands and albums that held their own with the secular stuff, but not grunge in my opinion. And Holy Soldier had a great sound they should've stuck it out or deviate from it in slight that at least they kept their core sound to fit the times. And Rick Florian suddenly showing up in Flannel shirts was a terrible idea. That video of him trying to act all dark and brooding and grungy to that squeaky clean pop rock song is quite vomit inducing.

I think Bride could've done it well but I lost touch with them.

Just remembered, Lament by Rez would be the best example of shifting with the times without completely changing their core sound. I'd say that would stand as a great album during the grunge movement. They did it right.

I think that’s because Ty Tabor of King’s X had a hand in the production process.

I think to make good grunge it helps to take a lot of heroin, which Christians usually avoid.

Raegoul wrote:I think to make good grunge it helps to take a lot of heroin, which Christians usually avoid.

Yes LOL

I mean watching Rick Florian in that video looking all forlorn and lost in anguish and pain (the grunge aesthetic I guess) is just painful to watch after their nice clean smiling yuppie Toto inspired brand of music (don't get me wrong I like whiteheart) to suddenly shift into that territory was just hideous and fake as hell.

I know Ty Tabor wore flannel too on back of Dogman, but they have a big link with the Seattle and grunge scene. Right before the burgeonning scene of seattle was ready to explode in fame, King's X played there during Out of the silent planet I believe and turned some notable heads at those shows and got respect and kudos from many members of those bands as an influence.

Anyway- stay away from planet H!

Ammocas wrote:

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:

Dustofyears wrote:

deathisgain wrote:Probably lost me around "No Doubt" and got me with "Jekyll and Hyde". Around the time they lost me, I think Christian rock/metal started losing me as a whole. I think part of it had to do with the Christian stores, more than the industry. Before that I could walk into a book store and listen to tons of stuff. When the mid nineties rolled around, it seemed like they were getting more into pushing pop and I didn't discover a lot of cool bands that had released stuff until the early 2000s online.

Never thought about that. But it's true. In it's peak christian stores usually had something in stock that would capture my attention, and if they didn't, it wouldn't be too long before they did. Then it dropped off and what was left was a whole lot of boring looking contemporary album covers, pop and praise and worship albums.

I know a lot of old metal heads didn't like grunge, but I got into it, and at the time it just seemed like there were mainly alternative grungey bands in the Christian market that were missing an edge. At that time I started listening to the radio and getting into secular music more. I wish I had known that Bride, Holy Solider and other bands that some heavy grungey albums at the time, but it seemed like the stores stopped pushing it.

The christian "grunge" stuff, or that I have heard anyway, was too clean sounding, too polished. Didn't have the dark psychedelic grim that the secular bands had. It was almost straight  clean pop music. Nothing that was Christian grunge came close to songs like Blackhole son or the pumpkins at their best, or Alice in chains, Nirvana or Stone Temple pilots when they were at their peak (unless you include King's X as a christian band). Their were christian metal bands and albums that held their own with the secular stuff, but not grunge in my opinion. And Holy Soldier had a great sound they should've stuck it out or deviate from it in slight that at least they kept their core sound to fit the times. And Rick Florian suddenly showing up in Flannel shirts was a terrible idea. That video of him trying to act all dark and brooding and grungy to that squeaky clean pop rock song is quite vomit inducing.

I think Bride could've done it well but I lost touch with them.

Just remembered, Lament by Rez would be the best example of shifting with the times without completely changing their core sound. I'd say that would stand as a great album during the grunge movement. They did it right.

I think that’s because Ty Tabor of King’s X had a hand in the production process.

Yeah was a good move.

I stopped listening after John replaced Greg his nasal high pitched whine and the band's saccharine safe Partridge Family Bubble Gum Rock wasn't my cup of tea. I think they had one song on a praise album that somewhat was as metal as they could get and it was so obnoxious and trifling

They lost me at God Fixation
I sort of came back at Revival (as I'm a sucker for rock praise)
I was definitely back at J & H

God Fixation still doesn't work for me at all, and I listened to it last week for the first time in years.  Bob can still write some awesome lyrics, and John can still sing brilliantly, so it was just the music that sent me running.
Double Take, unfortunately, was even worse.  They took all the great Petra songs, and made each one of them worse.  I was hoping that some of them would be enjoyable, but I just couldn't find a single one.

However, apart from those two albums, I enjoy every Petra album from the start to the end.

Didn't realize until the other day they have an album in which they cover older tunes such as Adonai, but with a more modern rock edge to it. Still like the original versions better though.

They lost me with No Doubt. I bought Jekyll and Hyde, but unfortunately didn't like it as much as others obviously did. And I also did not agree with those who said it would be their heaviest album (that would be On Fire! in my opinion).

Still I would count Petra as one of my alltime favorite bands.

My top 3: On Fire!, This means war, Beyond Belief

It's weird... I missed the Petra boat back in the day. My progression was:

Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith - Whiteheart/Rez Band - Whitecross - Bride/Vengeance Rising/Morty/TqT, etc... and one and only one Petra album... Petra... which I actually really dig... but then...

By the time I was into the metal I was all-in, and Petra seemed soft to me. 

So I'm not ultra familiar with everything. 

But, they are my best friend from HS's favorite band so I've been exploring them over the last few years...


Jekyll & Hyde - I like this! They are my re-entry into Petra. This is basically Metal, and I like it.

Wake Up Call - Has some good moments.

On Fire! - All Fired Up! Is a banger! Someone's Gonna Praises him is great. The rest is uneven or too soft.

Beyond Belief - 2/3 of a great album! Starts off strong... takes a break, picks up hard again with Seen & Not Heard

Petra - A southern rock classic! My first Petra experience and it's awesome!

Not of the World - Meh... just too much keys and soft meh...

So far that's my journey. When they're on they can bring it!

Weird... even though I agree that God Fixation and Revival aren't great, and I'm not huge on Petra Praise 2 either, imo overall they got better overtime.

They lost me with the first album lol. But not counting that, they lost me after Wake Up Call(except Right Place I love that song), and got me back with J&H

How much I like their album over the course of their discography:

"I'm a total Schlitt Head!" Yea, umm...

Funny, was just thinking about this today. I suppose they lost me somewhere in the mid 90's, just into other music, considered them irrelevant. Got me back with J&H, then I went back and finished getting the others from Wake up Call on, I really like them, all. Love God Fixation, don't get all the hate for it...

Pro-Zak wrote:Funny, was just thinking about this today. I suppose they lost me somewhere in the mid 90's, just into other music, considered them irrelevant. Got me back with J&H, then I went back and finished getting the others from Wake up Call on, I really like them, all. Love God Fixation, don't get all the hate for it...

Yeah, God Fixation was a pleasant surprise for me

Without a doubt it was No Doubt.  I don't think they could figure out the industry at the time and just put out this blase' pastiche flub of an album.

Superjuice wrote:Without a doubt it was No Doubt.  I don't think they could figure out the industry at the time and just put out this blase' pastiche flub of an album.

Pft, it's a fine album.

I think No Doubt is a good album (at least the first five songs), and Petra Praise II is good, too. After this, I lost interest; I did not like Jekyll and Hyde. I hope for a new album with the classic sound of John era.

Here is my thoughts on each album:
Petra - Meh
Come And Join Us - Same as Petra
More Power To Ya' - Amazing
Not Of This World - Meh(Better than first two though)
Beat The System - Good
Back To The Street - Good
This Means War! - Really good
On Fire! - Amazing
Beyond Belief - Amazing
Unseen Power - Really good
Wake Up Call - Really good
Never Say Die/Washes Water Than - Not really sure what this is but not bad
No Doubt - Decent(Right Place is awesome though)
God Fixation - Not bad
Double Take - Meh
Revival - Meh
Jekyll & Hyde - Amazing, but could be better(solos, longer songs)

Christian Thrash Rules wrote:Here is my thoughts on each album:
Petra - Meh
Come And Join Us - Same as Petra
More Power To Ya' - Amazing
Not Of This World - Meh(Better than first two though)
Beat The System - Good
Back To The Street - Good
This Means War! - Really good
On Fire! - Amazing
Beyond Belief - Amazing
Unseen Power - Really good
Wake Up Call - Really good
Never Say Die/Washes Water Than - Not really sure what this is but not bad
No Doubt - Decent(Right Place is awesome though)
God Fixation - Not bad
Double Take - Meh
Revival - Meh
Jekyll & Hyde - Amazing, but could be better(solos, longer songs)

Never Say Die/Washes Whiter Than are their third and fourth albums, in oppostiue order